Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-06-23
Mr.. CLEVELAND AND THE G. R.

Mr. ENGLAND AND The u. a. II.
General Sherman on the President Invita-
tatiOn to View the Veterans at ST. Louis.
ST. LOUIS. June 14.-General John A.
Noble and Colonel ID. P. Dyer, two promi
nent members of the Grand Army of the
Republic, of this city, received long let
ter to- day from General Sherman, in
which he discusses, at some length, the re-
cent muddle regarding the invitation to
President Cleveland to visit st. Louis
during the Grand Army encampment
next fall. The material points of the let
ter are as follows:
he rumor of your troubles in st. Louis
reached me by telegraph, and has lost
nothing by distance. / believe we here
in New York now understand the facts
that the Grand Army of the Republic
holds its next annual encampment at st.
Louis the last Wednesday OF September,
1887, that the great fair of the Valley of
the Mississippi be gins Monday, October,
2; that the best citizen of st. Louis have
invited many prominent men to be guests
of their city on the accidental coincidence
of these two important events, among
these the President of our common coun-
try, Grover Cleveland, his family and
suite. The Grand Army of the Republic
is composed exclusively of men who SER
we'd in the army and navy of the Union,
to which organization Mr.. Cleveland does
not belong, and, therefore, he can not
participate in any of its proceedings;
but that
MOMENT THE GRAND ARMY ENERGIES
from its hall of elaboration it becomes,
like the Free Masons, Odd Fellows, and
other societies of good men associated
for noble purpose, part of the general
community, subject TO the laws and
usages of that com munity.
'@Mr. Cleveland, the president of the
United States, by fair election of all
our people, is COMMUNICATIVE chief of the
Army and Navy of the United States, free
to come and go wherever the jurisdiction
of this, eur National Government extends.
He may visit any fort or ship, where the
National flag will be lowered to manifest
respect to him and his Office, and should
foreign ship fail to do him full honors
none will be so quick to resent an insult
as the members of the Grand Army of
the Republic, who perilled life and limb
to make that respected at home and
abroad. The idea of his being insulted,
much less endangered, should he be ON
the stand alongside of our Commander
in-chief, General FairchiId, when the
Grand Army is passing in review, seems
to be monstrous. I think [ know the
Iowa boys too we'll to believe such a
thing possible. Brave men are never uL-
generous, and the Iowa soldiers were
brave men. [ know it of knowledge acouir-
ed in battle, and I will pledge my life that
no Iowa soldier will do SO unmanly an act,
and should Mr.. Cleveland accept the in
vitation, which l hope he will, to attend
the parade of the Grand Army of the
Republic at st. Louis, of Sept. % next, l
will stand by his side or march past in
the ranks of Ransom Post, as may be
ordered By General Fairchild."
l notice with pain that the Presidents
action in certain pension bills enters into
this unhappy controversy. There are
many private bills, and one of a general
nature, which the president vetoed. The
Constitution of the United States com
pels the President to approve or veto each
separate bill as it reaches him from Con-
gress. If approved it becomes law, if
vetoed it requires an increased majority
of Congress to pass it, but the President
can only account for his judgment by
his own conception of duty, and to his
God. We, as soldiers, must summit to it.
BECAUSE TT Is THE LAW.
l do not believe the government can
ever be too charitable to the old soldiers,
wounded, or in distress by age and in
trinity, and had been near Mr.. Cleve-
land [ would not have Ventured to advise
him on the general bill. but as to the pri-
vate cases, [ would have said: Charity
enters largely into pensions, and when
any special bills have passed the ordeal
of the committees of the Senate and
House, approve them, but on the general
bill exercise your full constitutional
power.
Honest men differ widely on this ques-
ton of pensions to our old and feeble
comrades. We all want to do what is right
but differ as to the means. All we know
is that after twenty odd years after the
civil war the government of the United
States, under republican and Democratic
rule, pay out to our soldiers of the Union
army about $50, 100000 per year, and a
few thousand to the Mexican war veterans
of locality, and not one cent to
the rebels of the South whom we fought
in the civil war. We old soldiers of the
civil war have not yet just cause to make
an issue on the question of pensions to
our infrm and wounded comrades.
advise you to go right along, prepare
the way for the Grand Army of the Re-
public at its session of Wednesday, Sept.
%, 1887, at ST Louis, and receive them as
they deserve, as honored guests; also, the
President of the United States, with such
other honored guests as may grace the
occasion.
What Band of Mercy Boy Did.
New Orleans Picayune.
Mr.. Harvey was riding slowly along the
dusty road, looking in all directions for
stream, or house, where he might refresh
his tired, thirsty horse with good draft
of water. While he was thinking and
wondering, he turned an abrupt bend in
the road and saw before him comforta-
BILE farmhouse; and at the same time boy
10 or II years old came out into the road